Rains that brought copious inflows into major and medium irrigation projects in the State have equally benefited minor irrigation sources also. As many as 3,589 of the 43,764 Minor Irrigation tanks and ponds in both Godavari and Krishna basins were overflowing on Wednesday, bringing cheer to the farmers, thanks to the heavy rains received in the first two weeks of August.

A total of 6,048 tanks have water ranging from 75 per cent to 100 per cent of their storage capacity, while another 3,112 tanks have water filled up to 25 to 50 per cent of their storage capacity. Some 26,172 tanks are yet to cross 25 per cent of their storage capacity.

A majority of the tanks that are full to the brim are in Godavari basin, especially in the erstwhile Adilabad, Nizamabad and Warangal districts. As many as 1116 of the 2,702 tanks in erstwhile Adilabad are surplusing while 1311 have water up to 75 to 100 per cent of their gross storage capacity.

K Veeraiah, Chief Engineer Minor irrigation told that the minor irrigation sources in both Godavari and Krishna basin can hold some 256 tmc of water.

In all 26,000 tanks were covered under the Mission Kakatiya Phase 1, Phase 2 and phase 3, adding some 10 tmc to their storage capacity. Their irrigation potential was enhanced considerably benefiting farmers.

Despite delay in the onset of monsoon, the August rains have benefitted the minor irrigation sources in big way. He informed that the there was good rainfall in the largely forested Adilabad and the minor irrigation sources were the major beneficiaries of the rains.

The minor irrigation sources in Nizamabad and Warangal were also benefited from the August rains in a big way.